Dear Friend, Welcome to Arogg (The Alternate Reality of Grief and Grace)
A place for the outrageously courageous hearts ready to enter the bizarre alternate reality that is grief and meet their pain with tenderness.
“But extreme grief is more of an alternate reality than a depression. When you lose someone special, you also lose your stability in the rational world.”
The death of your loved one catapulted you into a parallel universe – one you never thought you would have to live in. It is a foreign reality, characterized by anxiety, panic attacks, volatile rage, regret, guilt, numbness, and all-consuming despair amongst other things.
This unfamiliar and foreign landscape - what I have come to call The Alternate Reality of Grief and Grace (AROGG) – is a lonely and dark place. A universe only those who have experienced the death of a loved one have access to.
You were snatched out of your previous reality where everything was safe and familiar and thrust into this reality some have called Arogg with no orientation. You might find yourself grappling in the dark with no flashlight to see what lies ahead.
No one gave you a map, or a GPS to tell you where you are or how to navigate its labyrinth patterns and terrains. You have no way to know or find the millions of other inhabitants of this reality who were also unwillingly thrust here by the death of their loved ones.
Upside-down reality
In Arogg, the rules of ‘normal life’ no longer apply. Every day when you wake up, you have no idea what you will feel, what you will face, or what memories of your old safe, and familiar world will fill your mind and destroy any semblance of peace. Somedays you feel like your heart has been ripped out of your chest. Other days, it sucks you in like quicksand, and makes you feel exhausted and as though you are walking through a barren desert with no end in sight.
While the rest of your life remains the same, everything in your life has changed. You feel the blackness of the void deep in your belly and you are unable to comprehend and engage with life the way you used to. Watching tv, going to work, and hanging out with friends all seem trivial in the face of your grief.
The worst part is that the rest of the world just doesn’t seem to understand how different and empty your life feels now. You have never felt so alone and lonely and find that you are slowly withdrawing from all relationships in the “old world” that you used to live in. Nobody has noticed the parallel universe that you have been suddenly and completely transported into. No one understands or can relate to what you are going through and cannot hold space for your grief. They either pretend it didn’t happen or seem to think it is not a big deal and you should move on.
You are not only grieving the loss of your person but also of all the relationships that have disappeared, the activities and hobbies you used to enjoy, and the job that now feels meaningless.
Things will never be the same again. You were given a one-way ticket into Arogg, and the only way out is through.
You might not be sure if it is even possible to live in AROGG, let alone survive, but there is a way through, and we will help you create a bridge, not the old world but to a new more expanded reality which some call the LSOGG.
My mission is to help you find your rhythm in grief
It is my life's work to help you navigate this alternate reality with as much grace and precision as possible and ensure that you come out on the other side (the light side of grief) with a deeper connection to your deceased loved one, your life, and your purpose. While grieving in a way that is true to your heart.
This gives meaning to my mother's death.
We will work together to rebuild your life and create a bridge to a new type of relationship with your loved one who died.
At Arogg, you will find...
- Practical roadmaps and interactive maps to orient, stabilize and help you navigate the terrifying terrain and locales of Arogg
- Resources to nourish, nurture, empower, and support you during this difficult time
- Tools to help you harvest creative purpose from pain
- Tips on building resilience and finding your unique rhythm
- Community to hold you as you move through the abyss of unspeakable pain.
In essence, you will find a sacred space that can contain all your grief, sorrow, and anguish. A tribe of fellow travelers who see you and understand what you are experiencing because they have walked the same path and have been inducted into the halls of soul-crushing grief.
Your Pain is Real and Worthy of Your Deepest Contemplation
All of you is welcome here: your sadness, sorrow, grief, anger, frustration, anxiety, joy...
I am sorry that the sorrow found you, but I am glad you are here!